🎯 Where Should I Start?
Best Starting Point
Publication Order of Joanne Kilbourn Mystery Books
Start with: Deadly Appearances (1990)
Popular Choice
Publication Order of Charlie D Books
Start with: Love You to Death (2010)
Popular Choice
Publication Order of Standalone Novels
Start with: 1919, The Love Letters Of George & Adelaide (1987)
ⓘ About Gail Bowen
Gail Bowen was born in Toronto where she pursued her Bachelor of Arts at the University of Toronto. When she was three years old, she was able to read a time when she was diagnosed with polio later on. Other institutions that she got educated from include the University of Waterloo where she pursued her Masters in Arts and finally got a Ph.D. at the University of Saskatchewan. She later on got involved in lecturing in Saskatchewan. She is currently a professor at the First Nations University. Gail’s books are mainly detective which have become popularly known. One of the earliest books that Gail Bowen has written is The Glass Coffin which is set in the Saskatchewan.
All Book Series by Gail Bowen
1
Deadly Appearances
Series opener · book 1 of 23 · published 1990
Buy on Amazon1990
2
Murder at the Mendel / Love and Murder
Book 2 of 23 · published 1991
Buy on Amazon1991
3
The Wandering Soul Murders
Book 3 of 23 · published 1992
Buy on Amazon1992
4
A Colder Kind of Death
Book 4 of 23 · published 1994
Buy on Amazon1994
5
A Killing Spring
Book 5 of 23 · published 1996
Buy on Amazon1996
6
Verdict in Blood
Book 6 of 23 · published 1998
Buy on Amazon1998
8
The Glass Coffin
Book 8 of 23 · published 2002
Buy on Amazon2002
9
The Last Good Day
Book 9 of 23 · published 2004
Buy on Amazon2004
10
The Endless Knot
Book 10 of 23 · published 2006
Buy on Amazon2006
11
The Brutal Heart
Book 11 of 23 · published 2008
Buy on Amazon2008
12
The Nesting Dolls
Book 12 of 23 · published 2010
Buy on Amazon2010
15
12 Rose Street
Book 15 of 23 · published 2015
Buy on Amazon2015
16
What's Left Behind
Book 16 of 23 · published 2016
Buy on Amazon2016
17
The Winners' Circle
Book 17 of 23 · published 2017
Buy on Amazon2017
18
A Darkness of the Heart
Book 18 of 23 · published 2018
Buy on Amazon2018
19
The Unlocking Season
Book 19 of 23 · published 2020
Buy on Amazon2020
20
An Image in the Lake
Book 20 of 23 · published 2021
Buy on Amazon2021
21
What’s Past Is Prologue
Book 21 of 23 · published 2022
Buy on Amazon2022
23
The Solitary Friend
Latest in the series · book 23 of 23 · published 2025
Buy on Amazon2025
1
Love You to Death
Series opener · book 1 of 4 · published 2010
Buy on Amazon2010
2
One Fine Day You're Gonna Die
Book 2 of 4 · published 2010
Buy on Amazon2010
3
The Shadow Killer
Book 3 of 4 · published 2011
Buy on Amazon2011
4
The Thirteenth Rose
Latest in the series · book 4 of 4 · published 2013
Buy on Amazon2013
1
1919, The Love Letters Of George & Adelaide
Single-title series · published 1987
Buy on Amazon1987
1
Dancing in Poppies
Single-title series · published 2002
Buy on Amazon2002
1
The Early Investigations of Joanne Kilbourn
Series opener · book 1 of 4 · published 2004
Buy on Amazon2004
2
The Further Investigations of Joanne Kilbourn
Book 2 of 4 · published 2006
Buy on Amazon2006
3
Gail Bowen Bundle
Book 3 of 4 · published 2013
Buy on Amazon2013
4
The Joanne Kilbourn Mysteries 6-Book Bundle Volume 3
Latest in the series · book 4 of 4 · published 2014
Buy on Amazon2014
1
San Francisco Noir
Series opener · book 1 of 121 · published 2002
Buy on Amazon2002
6
Brooklyn Noir 2
Book 6 of 121 · published 2005
Buy on Amazon2005
9
Manhattan Noir
Book 9 of 121 · published 2006
Buy on Amazon2006
12
Baltimore Noir
Book 12 of 121 · published 2006
Buy on Amazon2006
13
Twin Cities Noir
Book 13 of 121 · published 2006
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15
New Orleans Noir
Book 15 of 121 · published 2007
Buy on Amazon2007
16
Los Angeles Noir
Book 16 of 121 · published 2007
Buy on Amazon2007
17
Wall Street Noir
Book 17 of 121 · published 2007
Buy on Amazon2007
19
Detroit Noir
Book 19 of 121 · published 2007
Buy on Amazon2007
21
Brooklyn Noir 3: Nothing But the Truth
Book 21 of 121 · published 2008
Buy on Amazon2008
22
Toronto Noir
Book 22 of 121 · published 2008
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23
Las Vegas Noir
Book 23 of 121 · published 2008
Buy on Amazon2008
24
Trinidad Noir
Book 24 of 121 · published 2008
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26
Manhattan Noir 2
Book 26 of 121 · published 2008
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28
Istanbul Noir
Book 28 of 121 · published 2008
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31
San Francisco Noir 2
Book 31 of 121 · published 2009
Buy on Amazon2009
32
Portland Noir
Book 32 of 121 · published 2009
Buy on Amazon2009
34
Phoenix Noir
Book 34 of 121 · published 2009
Buy on Amazon2009
35
Los Angeles Noir 2
Book 35 of 121 · published 2010
Buy on Amazon2010
36
Mexico City Noir
Book 36 of 121 · published 2010
Buy on Amazon2010
37
Richmond Noir
Book 37 of 121 · published 2010
Buy on Amazon2010
38
Orange County Noir
Book 38 of 121 · published 2010
Buy on Amazon2010
39
Indian Country Noir
Book 39 of 121 · published 2010
Buy on Amazon2010
41
Lone Star Noir
Book 41 of 121 · published 2010
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42
Philadelphia Noir
Book 42 of 121 · published 2010
Buy on Amazon2010
44
Copenhagen Noir
Book 44 of 121 · published 2010
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45
Pittsburgh Noir
Book 45 of 121 · published 2011
Buy on Amazon2011
46
San Diego Noir
Book 46 of 121 · published 2011
Buy on Amazon2011
47
Barcelona Noir
Book 47 of 121 · published 2011
Buy on Amazon2011
48
Cape Cod Noir
Book 48 of 121 · published 2011
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49
New Jersey Noir
Book 49 of 121 · published 2011
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50
Staten Island Noir
Book 50 of 121 · published 2012
Buy on Amazon2012
52
Long Island Noir
Book 52 of 121 · published 2012
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54
Kingston Noir
Book 54 of 121 · published 2012
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55
St. Petersburg Noir
Book 55 of 121 · published 2012
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56
Kansas City Noir
Book 56 of 121 · published 2012
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57
Boston Noir 2
Book 57 of 121 · published 2012
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60
Buffalo Noir
Book 60 of 121 · published 2013
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62
Haiti Noir 2
Book 62 of 121 · published 2013
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63
Singapore Noir
Book 63 of 121 · published 2014
Buy on Amazon2014
65
Tel Aviv Noir
Book 65 of 121 · published 2014
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67
Belfast Noir
Book 67 of 121 · published 2014
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68
Helsinki Noir
Book 68 of 121 · published 2014
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70
Providence Noir
Book 70 of 121 · published 2015
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71
Chicago Noir: The Classics
Book 71 of 121 · published 2015
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72
Memphis Noir
Book 72 of 121 · published 2015
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74
Marseille Noir
Book 74 of 121 · published 2015
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76
New Orleans Noir: The Classics
Book 76 of 121 · published 2016
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77
Stockholm Noir
Book 77 of 121 · published 2016
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78
Brussels Noir
Book 78 of 121 · published 2016
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79
Mississippi Noir
Book 79 of 121 · published 2016
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80
St. Louis Noir
Book 80 of 121 · published 2016
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82
San Juan Noir
Book 82 of 121 · published 2016
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83
Oakland Noir
Book 83 of 121 · published 2017
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84
Trinidad Noir: The Classics
Book 84 of 121 · published 2017
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85
Atlanta Noir
Book 85 of 121 · published 2017
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86
New Haven Noir
Book 86 of 121 · published 2017
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87
Montana Noir
Book 87 of 121 · published 2017
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88
Buenos Aires Noir
Book 88 of 121 · published 2017
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89
Montreal Noir
Book 89 of 121 · published 2017
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91
São Paulo Noir
Book 91 of 121 · published 2018
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92
Santa Cruz Noir
Book 92 of 121 · published 2018
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94
Marrakech Noir
Book 94 of 121 · published 2018
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95
Baghdad Noir
Book 95 of 121 · published 2018
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96
Vancouver Noir
Book 96 of 121 · published 2018
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98
Hong Kong Noir
Book 98 of 121 · published 2018
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99
Amsterdam Noir
Book 99 of 121 · published 2019
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100
Milwaukee Noir
Book 100 of 121 · published 2019
Buy on Amazon2019
101
Houston Noir
Book 101 of 121 · published 2019
Buy on Amazon2019
102
Nairobi Noir
Book 102 of 121 · published 2020
Buy on Amazon2020
103
Columbus Noir
Book 103 of 121 · published 2020
Buy on Amazon2020
104
Santa Fe Noir
Book 104 of 121 · published 2020
Buy on Amazon2020
105
Alabama Noir
Book 105 of 121 · published 2020
Buy on Amazon2020
106
Berkeley Noir
Book 106 of 121 · published 2020
Buy on Amazon2020
107
Addis Ababa Noir
Book 107 of 121 · published 2020
Buy on Amazon2020
108
Tampa Bay Noir
Book 108 of 121 · published 2020
Buy on Amazon2020
109
Miami Noir: The Classics
Book 109 of 121 · published 2020
Buy on Amazon2020
110
Accra Noir
Book 110 of 121 · published 2020
Buy on Amazon2020
111
Belgrade Noir
Book 111 of 121 · published 2020
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112
Palm Springs Noir
Book 112 of 121 · published 2021
Buy on Amazon2021
113
Paris Noir: The Suburbs
Book 113 of 121 · published 2022
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114
Denver Noir
Book 114 of 121 · published 2022
Buy on Amazon2022
115
South Central Noir
Book 115 of 121 · published 2022
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116
Cleveland Noir
Book 116 of 121 · published 2023
Buy on Amazon2023
117
East Jerusalem Noir
Book 117 of 121 · published 2023
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118
West Jerusalem Noir
Book 118 of 121 · published 2023
Buy on Amazon2023
119
Honolulu Noir
Book 119 of 121 · published 2024
Buy on Amazon2024
120
Sacramento Noir
Book 120 of 121 · published 2025
Buy on Amazon2025
121
Hamburg Noir
Latest in the series · book 121 of 121 · published 2025
Buy on Amazon2025
1
The Dame Was Trouble
Single-title series · published 2018
Buy on Amazon2018
? Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Gail Bowen?
Gail Bowen was born in Toronto where she pursued her Bachelor of Arts at the University of Toronto. When she was three years old, she was able to read a time when she was diagnosed with polio later on. Other institutions that she got educated from include the University of Waterloo where she pursued her Masters in Arts and finally got a Ph.D. at the University of Saskatchewan.
Which Gail Bowen series should I start with?
The best place to start is the Joanne Kilbourn Mystery series, the earliest of Gail Bowen's multi-book series: it opens with Deadly Appearances (1990) and runs to 23 books across 1990–2025, ending with The Solitary Friend (2025). Gail Bowen's other series stand alone, so they can be read in any order.
How many books has Gail Bowen written?
Gail Bowen has 156 books catalogued in this guide, published between 1987 and 2025. 152 of them belong to 4 named series — the largest being the Joanne Kilbourn Mystery series with 23 books — and 4 are standalone titles, collections or anthologies.
In what order should Gail Bowen's series be read?
Read each series in publication order — the numbered entries in each series follow the year each book first appeared. Gail Bowen's series do not depend on one another, so they can be started in any order; by start date they are Joanne Kilbourn Mystery (1990–2025, 23 books), Gail Bowen Omnibus (2004–2014, 4 books) and Charlie D (2010–2013, 4 books).
How are Gail Bowen's books organised into series?
This guide splits Gail Bowen's 156 books into 4 named series and 4 titles that stand alone or appear only in collections: Joanne Kilbourn Mystery (23 books, 1990–2025); Charlie D (4 books, 2010–2013); Gail Bowen Omnibus (4 books, 2004–2014); Akashic Noir (121 books, 2002–2025).
